Availability of OTC medications on board

[sanger727]

Unless this has changed post-covid, I recall usually seeing items like this in the ship's store. I understand where the OP is coming from. Yes, it's good wisdom to bring a stock of OTC meds. However, even if you bring a little bit of EVERTHING, it can still take up alot of room. When I pack for a long trip, only about half my suit case is full of clothes. The other half has all the toiletries, OTC meds, prescription meds, etc. I might need. For a short trip I don't often bring all of that. If we need to get something mid-trip, we usually go to a local pharmacy. 

[ldubs]

25 minutes ago, sanger727 said:

Unless this has changed post-covid, I recall usually seeing items like this in the ship's store. I understand where the OP is coming from. Yes, it's good wisdom to bring a stock of OTC meds. However, even if you bring a little bit of EVERTHING, it can still take up alot of room. When I pack for a long trip, only about half my suit case is full of clothes. The other half has all the toiletries, OTC meds, prescription meds, etc. I might need. For a short trip I don't often bring all of that. If we need to get something mid-trip, we usually go to a local pharmacy. 

 

What you say about your suitcase if very familiar to me.  I always tell Mrs Ldubs we don't need all that stuff.  She says best bring it because we might and then would be sorry.  So in it goes.   

[Jchivers]

Yeah, that roll of Rolaids that launched this discussion probably would have put me over the 50 lb weight limit.  🙂

[ldubs]

38 minutes ago, Jchivers said:

Yeah, that roll of Rolaids that launched this discussion probably would have put me over the 50 lb weight limit.  🙂

 

I wonder which are lighter -- Tums or Rolaids.  

[BklynBoy8]

We take the non-prescribed and prescriptions medications that our doctors suggests.

 

Also we found on some sailings it is hard to find a Drug Store to buy items we needed.

 

We had this problems in Quebec where we had from the ship a 45 minutes walk to the New Town to a decent drug store. Nothing was anywhere close to the ship's dock.

 

Not even close to any of the hotels. We learned for the future.

[Philob]

21 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

I wonder which are lighter -- Tums or Rolaids.  

Alka Seltzer, for the fizz🥂

[sanger727]

On 10/17/2022 at 1:31 PM, Jchivers said:

Yeah, that roll of Rolaids that launched this discussion probably would have put me over the 50 lb weight limit.  🙂

 

Sure. But it's not just the Rolaids. If you are trying to be prepared for any occasion you may need OTC drugs... It's the rolaids, zantac, ibprofen, daytime cold, nighttime cold, cough syrup, cough drops, sore throat drops, immodium, laxative, benadryl, sinus meds, gas-X, saline spray, nasal spray, ear drops, dramamine, bonine, pepto-bismol, eye drops, chapstick, cortisone cream, antibiotic cream, bandaids, etc. All that can certainly add up in ones luggae, especially in proportion to the likelihood of needing all items. It's far more efficient to pick up something needed as you go. 

[Markanddonna]

7 hours ago, sanger727 said:

 

Sure. But it's not just the Rolaids. If you are trying to be prepared for any occasion you may need OTC drugs... It's the rolaids, zantac, ibprofen, daytime cold, nighttime cold, cough syrup, cough drops, sore throat drops, immodium, laxative, benadryl, sinus meds, gas-X, saline spray, nasal spray, ear drops, dramamine, bonine, pepto-bismol, eye drops, chapstick, cortisone cream, antibiotic cream, bandaids, etc. All that can certainly add up in ones luggae, especially in proportion to the likelihood of needing all items. It's far more efficient to pick up something needed as you go. 

You forgot the thermometer and Self administered COVID tests (just FYI)😁

[mom says]

8 hours ago, sanger727 said:

 

Sure. But it's not just the Rolaids. If you are trying to be prepared for any occasion you may need OTC drugs... It's the rolaids, zantac, ibprofen, daytime cold, nighttime cold, cough syrup, cough drops, sore throat drops, immodium, laxative, benadryl, sinus meds, gas-X, saline spray, nasal spray, ear drops, dramamine, bonine, pepto-bismol, eye drops, chapstick, cortisone cream, antibiotic cream, bandaids, etc. All that can certainly add up in ones luggae, especially in proportion to the likelihood of needing all items. It's far more efficient to pick up something needed as you go. 

Well, you do you, of course. And if you buy the full size containers of each of those items, and insist on multiple medications to treat the same problem, then yes, you may have a space issue. I use a modicum of discretion as to size, limit the variety of meds to the basics, and everything fits into a 2x4x6 inch travel case, weighing less than half a pound.

[Mum2Mercury]

Even if the ship wasn't Covid-nervous and even if the medical staff gave away OTC meds for free ... when you wake up with the sniffles or have a headache, it's just EASIER to open your drawer and have your own usual brand of medicine at your fingertips.  I don't take a whole lot of stuff (for example, at home I have sinus medicine and cough medicine ... but for travel I just carry Day-Quil, which is good for everything ... it might be a little more than is necessary, but it can treat a multitude of symptoms).  

 

I have a small first aid kit (originally a pencil case) that holds all our medicines and first-aid items.  I don't believe our cabin steward snooped inside it to see what we had.  How would he have time?

 

We took Covid tests on our recent cruise, and when my husband developed sniffles mid-way through the cruise, we thought THE WORST.  We were very glad to be able to tests privately in our own room ... but, as another cruiser said, we did dispose of the evidence in a public trash can.  His test was negative, and we didn't want to escalate the non-problem (just sniffles) by letting anyone else know.  Paranoia?  Maybe.

 

[ldubs]

I am pretty sure cabin stewarts are not rummaging thru our trash looking for evidence of covid.  

[BklynBoy8]

1 hour ago, ldubs said:

I am pretty sure cabin stewarts are not rummaging thru our trash looking for evidence of covid.  

 

Sorry but I didn't want a leave a positive results in a waste basket if one did happen. I would think anyone with a positive result would want to leave it in the same cabin and would remove it to another location. 

 

Those in my group that did get feeling did with responsibility reported to the Medical Center.

[sparks1093]

18 hours ago, sanger727 said:

 

Sure. But it's not just the Rolaids. If you are trying to be prepared for any occasion you may need OTC drugs... It's the rolaids, zantac, ibprofen, daytime cold, nighttime cold, cough syrup, cough drops, sore throat drops, immodium, laxative, benadryl, sinus meds, gas-X, saline spray, nasal spray, ear drops, dramamine, bonine, pepto-bismol, eye drops, chapstick, cortisone cream, antibiotic cream, bandaids, etc. All that can certainly add up in ones luggae, especially in proportion to the likelihood of needing all items. It's far more efficient to pick up something needed as you go. 

All of those items are allowed in ones carryon (which is where we carry all meds, to prevent having them go missing with the luggage). We also purchase travel sizes of many of the meds that we bring and refill them before each trip from our medicine cabinet. It can be more efficient to pick something up as you go, but even in the best of times the ship's store is seriously limited in what they stock (in addition to charging much higher prices). We know what kinds of OTC meds we will use regularly and that is what gets packed, we don't bring the pharmacy.

[Markanddonna]

I don't think the stewards snoop or are invasive. They probably just observe.

[ldubs]

17 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

 

Sorry but I didn't want a leave a positive results in a waste basket if one did happen. I would think anyone with a positive result would want to leave it in the same cabin and would remove it to another location. 

 

Those in my group that did get feeling did with responsibility reported to the Medical Center.

 

It isn't a major thing really where you put it as long as it is in a trash container.  I was just expressing my opinion that I don't think they are riffling our trash for evidence.  Hopefully it didn't come across as any kind of criticism -- it wasn't meant to be that.  

[BklynBoy8]

2 minutes ago, ldubs said:

It isn't a major thing really where you put it as long as it is in a trash container.  I was just expressing my opinion that I don't think they are riffling our trash for evidence.  Hopefully it didn't come across as any kind of criticism -- it wasn't meant to be that.  

 

Unfortunately we did have stories from passengers we knew on past sailings post-pan that certain evidence was questioned by the ships staff. Yes it did happen for the good of the state of the ship health status. And we would not have minded it as we would share our health status for the good of our fellow passengers.

 

But testing products are personal for testing and should be disposed of but share results with medical staff. Being a retired medical professional, after a certain amount of time after the test results are to be read, the test results/cube will not be accurate to read anymore.

[Mum2Mercury]

11 hours ago, Markanddonna said:

I don't think the stewards snoop or are invasive. They probably just observe.

Agree.  

12 minutes ago, BklynBoy8 said:

Being a retired medical professional, after a certain amount of time after the test results are to be read, the test results/cube will not be accurate to read anymore.

No, but a Covid test in your trash can means you were concerned enough to test.  

[sparks1093]

1 hour ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Agree.  

No, but a Covid test in your trash can means you were concerned enough to test.  

I know many people who test frequently even with no symptoms, especially when traveling.

[BklynBoy8]

1 hour ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Agree.  

No, but a Covid test in your trash can means you were concerned enough to test.  

 

With the number of passengers on board, the number of passengers without masks, not knowing their health status especially and respectfully international passengers, we just wanted to monitor ourselves for our safety.  

 

Severe crowded tour buses, productive coughs and sneezes in that enclosed location for an average of 2 to 3 1/2 hours there are chances.

 

Also remember those that are asymptomatic and sailing with you. Our voyage had a assigned corridor closed for quarantine purpose.

 

Better to be safe than sorry.....Retired from Medical Professional I saw and experienced those that didn't follow the suggested guideline for your betterment. Our Medical Center had too many Refrig trucks in the background with once healthy people.....